Only valid for active forum users. Active means at least 30 postings within the last 30 days (no spam postings). This will automatically being checked at www.starbike.com shopping basket so make sure that you are logged in at the WW board!If there does not appear a WW discount position when you check out you do not have enough postings!

According to the Canyon website, the Aeroad should have a normal tapered head tube to accomodate 1 1/8" upper bearing, as opposed to the "extra over-sized" 1 1/4" on the Ultimate SLX. Can anyone confirm? Surely less of a hassle swapping stems around going to a normal steerer dimension, good move from Canyon imho.

I've grown tired with sloppy training wheels going out of true and weighing a ton, e.g. WH-500 or Aksium Race and decided to pick up a set of fairly decent wheels I can trust. I've had good experience with Ksyrium SL/ES wheels borrowed from friends when I've been away for "training camp", and figured the Elites would be a good trade-off between quality and price.

As for the ride; I've gotten in about 240 kilometers so far, most of which was during a >140km ride Sunday.

When I compare the 09 S3 with the Aeroad it feels as if the S3 is left in the stone age, while the Aeroad is more modern.. There may be an element of the placebo effect, but the ride quality is much better with the Aeroad. It feels as if it is stiffer, and more 'direct'. When I punch the pedals the bike reacts quickly, more so than the S3. Some could perhaps be attributed to a new drivetrain, DA7900 crankset over 7800 SRM (going in for service), but the difference is just too big to be explained by any of those factors.

On my first ride I used the CCUs, and the effect of a new bike was dazzling. When I mounted the training wheels I was expecting a lot of this effect to have gone with the wheels, but no: It still gives a much better impression than the S3. The Aeroad yields higher comfort and eliminates a lot of the minor road buzz felt from poor surfacing. I've ridden the bikes with the same saddle.

Also I have a hand injury which with the Ultegra SL on my S3 was quite painful when going from the small to the big ring. With the Di2 obviously this problem is eliminated. Brake modulation is also far superior when compared to the Ultegra, and the levers fit much better with my hands and fingers than the regular 7900 levers. However I miss a bit of the bulk of the 7900 shifter body, but that will not take much getting used to.